Most professional football teams have established an official Ring
of Honor. The way I see it, the ring of honor is a way for
teams to honor those players they feel were the greatest in the team's history,
even if those players weren't quite good enough to make the Pro Football Hall
of Fame. Usually, a team's Ring of Honor is displayed inside the stadium as a
tribute to those players.

When the "new Soldier Field" was opened in 2003, the Bears
unveiled what they call their ring of honor as panels inside the concourses
honoring the 25 Bears players and 1 General Manager that are enshrined in the
Pro Football Hall of Fame. But the Bears have never given honors to other
players that were consummate Bears but have not made it into the Pro Football
Hall of Fame.

The Bears have not officially recognized any of these players,
so we will, with the BearsHistory.com Chicago Bears Ring of Honor. This
includes the 26 Bears Hall of Famers, plus the other 15 all-time great Chicago
Bears players we have chosen.

Note-We're glad so many Bears fans are passionate enough to pay
attention to this, but unfortunately we do not have time to debate our
choices-if you'd like to debate please take it to a message board instead of
e-mailing us. Thank you.

Note: Non-Hall of Fame members of the BearsHistory.com
Chicago Bears Ring of Honor will be introduced in June/July
2009 via the Chicago
Bears Blog.